The Silver Lining
by PearlieWolf
Summary: *ABANDONED* Sirius narrowly escaped death at the Department of Mysteries, but when he returns to the Order he is met with hate. Hermione is now one of his only two friends, along with Snape. What happens when both men start falling for Hermione?
1. The Secret Room

The Silver Lining

by PearlieWolf

Summary: Sirius narrowly escaped death at the Department of Mysteries, but when he returns to the Order he is met with hatred. Hermione is now one of his only two friends, along with a surprising Severus Snape.

Disclaimer: Pay attention, I will only tell you this once. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters from the series. I may invent characters of my own, and if I do, please don't use them without asking first.

I'll try my best to update this frequently, but no guarantees. This is my first fanfic. I will accept constructive criticism, but no pointless flames.

Chapter One

The Secret Room

Sirius Black sat in his chair in his hidden room, at the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters. Not even the house-elf Kreacher knew about the room. It acted like a combination of 12 Grimmauld Place and the Room of Requirement. Only Sirius could enter the room, and only he could give someone new the ability to enter. Kreacher would have loved a place like this to hide little trinkets he had saved. The house-elf had finally passed on, though, and all the residents at the Order missed him. Not for him, but for the missing part of their fragile lives.

Sirius sighed. What good was a secret room when you had no one to hide from? He wanted to spend time with everyone, but they chose to ignore him for what happened at the Department of Mysteries. Five weeks into the summer vacation, he had crawled, in starving dog form, onto the front steps of the house, waiting to be found. He barely escaped Voldemort himself. The veil had transported him to the middle of nowhere, and finding his way home was no easy task. But he made it. When he got there, however, they all assumed he had played a cruel trick on everyone, especially Harry. He was the victim of many lectures, and many, many more hexes. So yes, he was hiding from them. But he didn't like to. He didn't want to.

He heard the front door open, and an excited squeal from Molly Weasley as Harry and Hermione arrived at the Order. He exited the room and sat on the stairs, watching the two happily talk with the rest of the Weasley family.

"I'm going to go claim a room for myself, I'll see you guys later."

Hermione ascended the staircase, and froze when she saw Sirius sitting there. She didn't know about his return. He had a chance to have a friend! He smiled at her. She nearly tackled him with a hug.

"Sirius! You're alive! I can't believe it, you're alive! You're _safe_..." She nearly whispered the last part. She pulled him to his feet, and her look changed from joy to concern.

"Hermione, is something wrong?"

"You're hiding from them, aren't you? Why aren't you down there greeting Harry? ... Sirius, what happened? You can tell me."

Without a word, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway, to a door she had never seen before. He touched her hand to the knob, and she felt a jolt of electricity, from either the door or Sirius. She wasn't sure. The door opened, and they walked in.

The room was something to behold. Books lined the walls; there must be more here than in Hogwarts. It was lit entirely by candles. There were separate mini-rooms, divided by hanging silk and velvet curtains. One could live out of here for years.

"Would you like to room in here? I promise I won't take advantage of you. Hermione?"

"Sirius, where are we?" He grabbed her hands and looked her in the eyes.

"It's my secret room. You can't let anyone know about it. Don't bring anyone here. The door will only appear for me. And you now. Promise me you won't tell anyone, Hermione. Promise me," he pleaded.

She couldn't resist his eyes. She promised, and had him cast a spell on her that would make her tongue-tied if she started to talk about it. She devised a magical contract that would put any number of hexes on her if someone found out by way of some careless error on her part.

Sirius trusted Hermione, and was surprised to see the measures she took to control herself. He knew she would never tell anyone, even if she was tortured. She was just that loyal.

They sat down, and he told her everything. True to her Gryffindor nature, she was outraged at the others' reaction. They hadn't listened to him! They didn't know what he went through to come back. She knew he would never play such a cruel trick on Harry, his own godson.

"Sirius, why don't you tell them what really happened?" Hermione asked. He shook his head and looked at his feet. There was no mistaking the look in his eyes: he already had. Harry probably thought it was all a cruel trick, too! Hermione couldn't believe it.

Really, she didn't know what to do. She had been through similar situations, but her friends always stood by her. Never had all her friends hated her, all her friends that she thought would love her until the end of time. She didn't know how to react. And she didn't like this not knowing feeling.

Hermione knew she was still there for him. She would stick up for him. She could push everyone else away very easily. Ron might have a crush on her, Harry might consider her family, but in reality, they used her much more than they loved her. They wouldn't get those grades in school - nowhere near those grades - if she didn't help them. They made her spend her leisure time with them. They scared off potential boyfriends, so she couldn't date. They often "accidentally" met her in the corridors, and dragged her off to do their work for them. This would stop.

"Thank you, Hermione. For listening. I have a feeling you're the only one who will," whispered Sirius, before pulling her into a quick hug. He felt tears sting his eyes, and he turned away before the rest of his pent-up emotions released themselves in those salty beads of water.

Hermione could tell. She didn't let him run. After sitting him down in an armchair, she tucked a blanket around him, and gave him a handkerchief. The simple yet caring gesture only brought more tears to his eyes. Again, Hermione had the foreign feeling of confusion. She felt that her presence there was only making things worse. Eager to leave, thinking it would make him better, she found a useful excuse to escape and collect her thoughts.

"I'll go get you some tea, then. Will you be here when I return, Sirius?"

He simply nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Hermione left, feeling more nervous with every passing second. She was having second thoughts about Harry and Ron. But she pushed them out of her head. She had to do this. For herself.

For Sirius.


	2. An Exercise in Surprising Things

The Silver Lining

by PearlieWolf

beta reader: Kate the Great

Chapter Two

An Exercise in Surprising Things

Severus Snape woke up in a relatively good mood. He had a good, peaceful night's sleep, not plagued with the normal nightmares of his days with the Death Eaters. The killing, the curses... the constant feeling of hatred.

He got out of bed and walked to the bathroom to clean himself up. He hadn't looked at the mirror for more than a second before dropping his comb in surprise, and shrieking.

"BLOOD TRAITORS! MUDBLOOD FILTH!-"

The portrait of Mrs. Black launched into her tirade. And Snape had been having a good day! Wand drawn, he strode down the hall to the screaming painting. One single spell out of his mouth, and Mrs. Black erupted into flames.

The fire lasted only a few seconds. By the time it was finished, the painting was replaced by the original wall. There were no more curtains, no picture frame, no trace of the old woman. The residents who had come to shut her up were completely astonished, and that was an understatement. They looked from the wall to Snape, wide-eyed.

"Death Eater trick," he simply stated, and walked back to the bathroom.

He stared at his reflection for a long time, taking it all in. His nose was smaller, a better fit to his face. His skin assumed its natural tan-olive color, instead of the sickly pale it had been before. His teeth were lined up like they should be, and they were a clean ivory-white. There were no more bald spots on his head. His hair was no longer greasy. He looked good. James Potter would be rolling in his grave.

James had always been jealous of the young Severus Snape. Snape had the friends, the popularity, the looks, the smarts, everything. So in their second year at Hogwarts, James found a disfiguring spell, and cast it on Snape. Gone were the looks, the popularity, the confidence. And as long as James' blood lived on, the curse had a fifty-fifty chance of staying. As soon as it left, though, it would be gone forever.

It was gone. He looked like he was in his late thirties again. No wonder he woke up feeling good. And today, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger would arrive. What a coincidence.

Just at that moment, the two students, accompanied by Tonks, Kingsley, and Mad-Eye Moody, walked through the front door. Molly Weasley let loose all her joy, and squealed as any surrogate mother would. And the relatively quiet feeling caused by the lack of Mrs. Black was music to Snape's ears.

Pretty soon, Hermione separated herself from the rest of them and went upstairs, only to see Sirius Black sitting at the landing. Snape watched them. It looked like someone else would finally believe that Sirius wouldn't play that trick on Harry. Even Snape knew that. And, surprisingly, he felt sympathetic.

Hermione Granger had grown up a bit over the past month. She was taller, finally growing into what had been surplus weight. Her hair was still a bit bushy, but it wasn't out of hand. She was still flat-chested as ever, but she would likely stay pretty flat for the rest of her life. It didn't look bad on her.

Sirius pulled Hermione down a hallway that Snape couldn't see from the bathroom. He stretched his arms, cracked his back, and returned to combing his hair, resolving to get a haircut this week. After all, there was no more grease to disgust the hairdresser.

By the time he finished combing his hair, shaving, and brushing his teeth, Hermione had left Sirius and was on her way downstairs. Snape exited the bathroom, flashed a small smile at her, and said good morning. The girl stared, quite surprised, at her newly attractive Potions professor, but didn't forget to be polite.

"Good morning, Professor."

Snape smiled again, and walked back to his room, looking for clean clothes. He turned and took another look at Hermione, who was looking curiously at the wall space until recently occupied by the late portrait of Mrs. Black.

He grinned. This would be a good summer for him.


	3. Tea for Two

The Silver Lining

by PearlieWolf

beta reader: Kate the Great

Chapter Three

Tea for Two

Hermione walked into the kitchen, worrying about Harry and Ron again. And there they were. She decided that she would just ignore them for now, and deal with them when they talked to her. She put a pot of water on the stove.

"Hey, 'Mione, why were you talking to Sirius? Don't you know he's a-" So much for waiting. She turned to them and glared.

"Harry Potter! I will not listen to another word you say! I can't imagine why you think your own godfather would play a trick like that on you. He loves you! And you and Ron, you've been using me! You would do horribly at Hogwarts if not for me. Horrible! You've kept me in a cage! You ruined my relationship with Viktor, you scare away any boys who might like me-"

"Now Hermione, we only-"

"Do you _know_ how I felt! To think that I wasn't good enough for anyone, to think I was too ugly or nerdy or... you don't know me! It was nice knowing you guys, but I don't think we can be friends anymore. Not until you grow up. And I'm not sorry."

She fished some tea bags out of the little canister on the counter. All attempts by Harry and Ron to talk to her were ignored. Soon the water was ready. Hermione took the pot and two teacups, put them on a tray, and took the tray upstairs.

At the top of the stairs, she set down the tray on a small table by the wall, and hid her face in her hands. Her shoulders trembled, and tears ran down her face.

"Miss Granger, is there something wrong?" the silky voice of Severus Snape asked.

"Oh, is it really that hard to tell?" she snapped. Snape put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a quick hug. Hermione's heart raced, despite her mind's protests that she couldn't think about a teacher like that.

"I heard your... conversation with them. I think they're still in shock."

Hermione sat down on the top stair, and stared off into space. There were still tears in her eyes. She didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Everyone's going to hate me now, aren't they?" she asked, tonelessly, almost to herself.

"Yes, Miss Granger, they probably will. You just dared to defy the Boy Who Lived. But don't worry, they can't do anything to you. You know too much about the Order. You'd be a safety concern," Snape said. He patted Hermione on the shoulder. "You may want to take the tea to Sirius before it gets cold."

Hermione's head shot up. She had forgotten about the tea! She got up to thank her professor, but he had disappeared. She picked up the tray from the table, and continued down the hall to Sirius' room. She touched the door, and it opened. She entered. Sirius was still in his chair, sleeping.

"Sirius, wake up. I brought you some tea. Sirius? Wake up. Sirius!"

Hearing his name shouted, Sirius jolted awake, to see Hermione Granger staring down at him. She put the tray on the coffee table, and pulled a chair next to his.

"Good, you're up. I have tea for you, like I said I would. Do you feel better?"

"A bit," he said. She got up to get some tea, and he saw his opportunity. He grabbed her around the waist, and playfully pulled her down into the chair with him.

"Sirius, hey!" she complained, but she was smiling. He smiled too, and for the second time that day, Hermione felt her heart start to race. Sirius noticed that as well, and blushed.

The truth was, he had a soft spot in his heart for the girl. He often imagined what it would be like if there wasn't such a large age difference. Would she like him? He wondered what it would feel like, being loved by her, loving her. He was a romantic, and a hopeless one at that. He was stuck feeling 19. After all, you don't mature much at Azkaban. So thinking about Hermione was like thinking about a girl just a few years younger than him. The age difference was a surface level issue; he didn't feel older.

Hermione always felt older than she was. She was always the most mature in her class. One could go so far as to say she would be the most mature a few classes ahead. Girls like her felt they needed an older, more adult boyfriend. That's why she dated Viktor Krum. And here was an older man, holding her in his arms like he was in love. And she couldn't date him. She couldn't have him. Hermione wanted Sirius, but it just couldn't work.

She started to cry again as she felt the strong pain of heartache. Sirius pulled her into a tight hug, whispering calming words (bordering on sweet-nothings) into her ear. Rather than increase in strength, her crying slowed down, and eventually stopped. Sirius still didn't let her go. He heard her fight with Harry and Ron. But he knew her tears came from the heart. He secretly vowed to kill the bastard that caused her the pain. He held her until she relaxed. Finally, exhaustion took over, and he fell asleep.

Hermione couldn't help but notice how nice it felt, lying here with Sirius. Her head on his chest, she listened to the sleeping man's heartbeat for a while, then pulled a blanket over both of them, wrapped her arms around him, and fell asleep as well.

A tray of tea sat, forgotten, on the coffee table.


	4. Train Ride

The Silver Lining

by PearlieWolf

beta reader: Kate the Great

Author's Note: I know, the story may seem a little random right now, but soon things will start to make sense. Promise. And this isn't a Hermione/Snape or Hermione/Sirius pairing. Yet. I'm not sure right now. And I sense a bout of writer's block coming... I'll try to have chapters backed up in case I'm right.

Chapter Four

Train Ride

Hermione got permission from Dumbledore to pick up a few things from her house, and arrangements were made for her to get them that Thursday. She let her parents know, and they would gather everything together for her. She felt particularly empty without it all, which surprised her. She never felt that before. But the Order had been particularly busy that week, so she just assumed it was stress.

Dumbledore approached her, worry written all over his face. She should have seen it coming.

"Miss Granger, I'm concerned about your trip home. I know you want these belongings, but I really must ask you to reconsider."

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I won't reconsider. I'll be careful, I promise, and if I have them, I'll be much less inclined to pry into Order business," she pleaded. Order secrecy was very important to him, so Dumbledore gave in, but on one condition.

"I'll be sending an escort with you."

So Hermione could go. But she would be given to one of the adults to look after. She didn't like it. Snape was correct in his prediction that they wouldn't like her anymore. And they wouldn't do anything about it, for safety reasons. They all treated her with a formal but cold politeness, like she was a guest on the brink of outstaying her welcome. Alone with her, an escort could get nasty. She didn't want to risk that. And while Sirius had been cleared of all charges, Hermione knew they wouldn't be going together.

Then she remembered that one of the adults was being nice and friendly to her. Snape wasn't really as bad as everyone said he was. Sure, he was still sarcastic and biting at times, but mainly to put on an act for everyone else.

It sounded crazy, but Hermoine thought that Snape was trying to be her friend. He was nicer to her than to any other resident at the Order. He would show up at her side when something was troubling her. She could show up at his door, and be welcomed in with a smile.

That's why when she found out that he would be accompanying her, she was happy.

Snape was just as happy to take her. Hermione was an intelligent student, and she showed a special ability and interest in potions. Sure, everyone assumed he liked the Dark Arts. He was really only interested in the teaching position because when you considered his personal history, he was one of the most qualified candidates out there. But he much preferred the research and experimentation that went into potions. Knowing that he could inspire such a talented student was comforting to him. He liked her. Draco Malfoy was no longer his favorite student; she was.

He liked the chance to talk to her one-on-one, without all the interruptions and distractions at the Order. He wondered what she was picking up from home. She was quite secretive about it, and would give him the cold shoulder any time he asked about it.

Thursday came, and Hermione and Snape prepared themselves for the mini-mission ahead of them. It wasn't a real mission, but there were safety concerns. She also needed something to do, and he know that. He might be insensitive, but he wasn't ignorant.

They walked out the front door in full Muggle clothing, blending in perfectly with the crowds of people they would encounter. They would take the train, and Hermoine's parents would be waiting at the last station.

On the way there, they talked about the possibility of a career in potions. Hermione wasn't really sure what she would pursue, but she wanted something to do with potions. She liked the idea of inventing new potions for medical uses, or as alternatives to rare potions, or any of those experimental uses. They jokingly made an agreement that if Snape ever got the DADA position, she would take over his old position.

Walking through the station, looking for the Grangers, Hermione couldn't help but notice all the women checking out her professor. And she felt a little jealous and protective of him. Her emotions confused her. She was attracted to him! He might not be the most attractive man out there, but he didn't look bad. The nameless women in the station certainly thought so.

"Hermione! Over here!"

She heard her father loud and clear. They were over on Platform 5, where her return train would leave in an hour. She waved to show she had heard them.

Her face lit up when she saw her portfolio, supplies, and travel easel, all packed up for her. But what she really wanted was leaning up against the column. Her cello! She ran over to her parents, closely followed by Snape.

"Oh, thank you so much," she said, and hugged each parent. She nearly pounced on her cello case, and checked everything inside to make sure it was properly stored. It passed her test, and she smiled.

"So, Hermione, who's he? He definitely is a cutie," her mother whispered. She was talking about Snape! Hermione choked, from gasping and laughing at the same time.

"Mom, he's my professor! Here, I'll introduce you. Mom, Dad, this is Professor Snape. Professor, these are my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

Snape shook their hands politely. They talked a bit, while Hermione dragged the cello to the nearest bench and got it out. She was being watched by the careful eyes of Severus Snape, and she knew he was interested in the cello. She tuned, and a few people turned to see what she was doing. She wanted to impress her professor. She closed her eyes, thinking of a melody, and played the first song that came to mind: _Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring_ (by Bach).

A small crowd gathered to hear Hermione play. She didn't notice them, as she was focusing on her music. She finished the song, and heard some scattered applause as she lowered her bow. She looked up to see a crowd of about a dozen people watching her. She blushed. She didn't like crowds.

She started putting her cello away, and a few people dropped money into the open case. Before she could protest and return it, they were lost in a mass of people who had just got off a train. Sighing, she put the money in her pocket, and closed her case. Her parents looked annoyed. Her teacher was both amused and impressed.

Her parents said their goodbyes and returned to work. Snape and Hermione sat, a bit bored, waiting for the train. She pulled out the money and counted it. She made £11 from playing, and started looking for a candy store to spend it at. Soon she was walking back to Snape, carrying a bag of all sorts of chocolates. She even decided to get him a present. He was quite surprised when she gave it to him. A shrill whistle let them know their train was pulling into the station.

The train ride back was uneventful. Hermione ate a bit of a chocolate bar, and Snape broke off a tiny piece for himself. He would make it last forever. It was a dark, mint, and white chocolate design of the _mentha spicata_ plant, more commonly known as spearmint. It was currently being tested for use in burn healing.

Hermione started nodding off. Snape scooted closer to her. He put an arm around her, and let her lean on him. She fell asleep quickly.

Being close to her, Snape felt a sense of belonging. He forced it out of his mind, and instead though of Order business. The girl by his side shifted in her sleep, and he put his other arm around her. She settled down, and he smiled.

He wasn't the git everyone thought he was. It was merely an act. But Hermione brought out a part of him that he didn't know existed. And she occupied his thoughts the rest of the way back.


	5. Stores of Magic

The Silver Lining

By PearlieWolf

beta reader: Kate the Great

Chapter Five

Stores of Magic

Ginny Weasley woke up early, as usual. If she listened closely, she could hear Ron snoring from a few rooms over. She looked up at the ceiling. Yes, she had always wanted her own room. But even though 12 Grimmauld Place was much more welcoming than the first day she arrived, it was still very creepy, and she didn't like being alone in it.

Voices could be heard from downstairs. Goosebumps spread across Ginny's skin. She listened intently, holding her breath, trying to decide whether the voices were human or some other being--thing--that was left lurking in the house. But after a while, she decided that it must be some Order members talking over secret plans. And she may as well listen in.

Slowly, she got out of bed. Immediately she wished she was still asleep, warm and safe under the covers of her bed. She placed her left foot on the floor. Everything in this house was cold. How could those arrogant snobs really think this was the good life? She tiptoed quickly across the floor to her trunk, looking for something warm to wear. All the robes were wrinkled, from her quick and careless packing. Ginny wanted to run away.

She couldn't stand it here at the Headquarters anymore. Everyone took their stress out on everyone else. And Sirius! He moped around, being careless and useless, not bothering to prove that his account of the Department of Mysteries was true. It would be so easy for him to do so. He'd need maybe a Pensieve or some Veritaserum, and Ginny was sure that someone would help him out.

Everyone at the Order annoyed Ginny. Ron refused to take Voldemort seriously. Harry was detached and arrogant, practically hero-worshipping himself. Fred and George could cheer everyone up, but it never lasted. After a while they gave up. All the full-scale members darted in and out, not staying long enough for Ginny to form an opinion of them. And that annoyed her. There was only one person who Ginny actually liked here: Hermione.

She sided with Sirius when she heard both sides of the story. She stood up to Harry and Ron, and practically cut them out of her life. But she still treated them with the same polite and formal manner that she used with the less offensive Slytherins; they were humans, and she must treat them as such.

Ginny looked up to Hermione. She was pretty, smart, a prefect, and she didn't care that she was muggleborn. She brushed off the cruel taunting of Draco Malfoy. The words were hurtful, but she didn't fall prey to him. Instead, she pitied him. Malfoy lived his entire life in an ignorant bubble. Through the prejudice of his father, he learned that Purebloods were superior to Mudbloods. That belief was burned into his brain, and took root before any muggleborn wizards or witches could prove it wrong. But the arrogant upper-class purebloods knew they were wrong. Why else would they rally behind one such as Voldemort? Why would they feel so threatened by the muggleborns? Purebloods were losing their stranglehold on magic society, and they knew it, and they were afraid.

Finally finding the least wrinkled robe in the trunk, Ginny dressed herself and slinked downstairs. Hopefully Professor Dumbledore was visiting, so she could ask him if he would be able to find another place for her to stay. She heard his calm, uplifting voice, and tiptoed a little faster. Listening closely, she could pick up on part of their conversation.

"... you saw how it turned out before ... she is in the most danger..."

Now at the kitchen door, Ginny thought it best for her to let them know that she had arrived. She rapped gently on the door, and opened it slightly. Everyone looked slightly shocked, except the Headmaster, who had been expecting her, so it seemed.

"I was wondering if I could have a word with Professor Dumbledore?" she almost whispered. Her parents exchanged a look; she could tell they had just been talking about her. Dumbledore waved everyone out of the kitchen, and Ginny sat down across from him.

"Miss Weasley, what may I do for you?"

"I'm not happy here, Professor. I was wondering if you know of another safe place where I could stay?"

He nodded gravely, expecting something like this. He waited, knowing she had more to say.

"And, well... you were talking about me, weren't you?" He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice.

"Miss Weasley, despite your parents' wishes, I think it is in your best interest that you know about this. Wizards and witches have stores of magic energy inside them. It gets depleted during use, and built up during rest. Some have larger stores than others. Some don't use as much as others. Actually--Tonks!" he called her. Ginny heard some stumbling, and Tonks arrived at the kitchen door.

"Go up to the third floor, to the unused hallway. Knock three times on the East wall, and then return to the top of the stairs. Either Sirius or Miss Granger will answer you. I want Miss Granger here."

Tonks left, and about ten minutes later returned, a confused Hermione following close behind. Dumbledore directed her to sit down next to Ginny.

"Miss Granger, I apologize for the sudden call, but we need to talk. You know about the stores of energy inside us? Of course you do. Now," his voice lowered to a whisper, "you and Miss Weasley have incredible power stored inside you, far surpassing any student at Hogwarts, even me, even Voldemort. He knows this, and he's after you two for part of his plan. I have special permission for you to practice magic outside of school, but it can't be here. Miss Weasley has just asked me if she can live somewhere else for now, and I'd like you to join her."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a look. They weren't quite sure what was going on, but if it meant getting out of this place, they'd do it.

And an hour later, before anyone else was awake, they were packed and ready, to disappear without a trace.


	6. Who We Really Are

_Oh my gosh I actually UPDATED this! Aren't you all so happy?_

_I feel like I have to do shout-outs to make up for the neglect of this story._

_First and foremost..._

_The Gryffindor Drummer thank you for reminding me that I have this story here. I was so bored with my summer, and now I have something to do. You rock. Pun intended :)_

_Kreepi Spicer I really don't know who she'll end up with (yet) so we'll see, won't we?_

_Silent Brown Eyes glad you like it so far :)_

_...Okay, shout-outs take time away from writing the story, so to everyone else who reviewed, thank you! Now, on to the story!_

The Silver Lining

by Pearliewolf

Chapter 6

Who We Really Are

When Sirius woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. It was strange, Hermione usually would come get him for breakfast, and he could smell lunch already. He also could smell anxiety and stress. Something was wrong.

He threw on whatever clothes he could find and ran out of his secret room, not caring if anyone could see it. On the second flight of stairs, he ran into Snape - literally.

"I was just about to get you, Black. Hermione and Ginny are gone." There was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Hermione? She can't be gone! Where is she?" Sirius grabbed Snape's black robe and shook him.

"Honestly, learn to control your temper! I won't tell you anything until you let me go." Snape was calm, considering he had practically been attacked. Sirius loosened his grip on the robe, and Snape pulled them out of his hands. They glared at each other for a while, then Sirius looked down at his feet.

"Let's go somewhere more private, then."

Snape certainly was impressed with the secret room. It had beautiful decorations, and it was probably the only room in the house that had some actual color to it. But Sirius didn't care what Snape thought. He wanted to know what happened to Hermione and he wanted to know now.

"Alright, Black, let's sit down. Hermione and Ginny are gone. Dumbledore knows about this. In fact, I'm pretty sure he arranged it. It's probably the best for both of them. To protect them. Potter isn't exactly stable, so who knows what he'd do to Hermione. And who knows what Ginny discovered in the Chamber of Secrets?"

Sirius took all of this in, but still wasn't satisfied. All he knew was that they were gone. Hermione was gone.

"Where are they?" he asked, praying that somehow, Snape would know.

"I don't know. And I don't know when they'll be back, what they're doing, or if there's anyone else with them. All I know is that they're somewhere, together, and they're fine."

"Fine! Well what about the rest of us? What am I supposed to do without Hermione?" Sirius shot up out of his chair, stressed out and looking for someone to blame. Snape finally reached the end of his fuse, and exploded.

"How can you be so selfish? Hermione goes out of her way to make you comfortable and to keep you company and to bring you whatever you need so you can live the good life in your own private room! And now that she's getting a much-needed and well-deserved break from all this, all you can do is whine and complain about her being gone! Maybe you should learn to do things for yourself!" he roared. Sirius flinched, then glared.

"You don't understand! I need her! She's my only friend!" he yelled, holding back the tears. "Everyone here hates me now except her. Without her, I'd be alone."

"Well, I do understand. And maybe now you understand just how I felt all those years at Hogwarts," Snape growled. He looked at Sirius, pitying him, and decided not to hold it against him.

"I can't believe you still care about that."

"Well, Mr. Black, I don't expect you to believe anything I say. But this isn't the time to hold grudges. We might have been Hermione's only friends here aside from Ginny. Maybe this is the time to find out who we really are, instead of relying on some exaggerated memories from Hogwarts."

Sirius sat back down in his chair, stubborn as ever. Snape decided to leave him alone for now. After all, Snape had needed some time to cope with the idea of her being gone. Sirius probably needed time, too.

"I'll let you think about it," he said, and walked out the door.

Everything was changing now.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, Ron and Harry were busy blaming each other for the girls being gone. Snape couldn't help but laugh to himself. Some people will never change.

_So? Have I lost my touch? Or are you just glad to have more story to read? Don't worry about Ginny and Hermione, they'll be covered in the next few chapters, as will Ron and Harry. Maybe I'll even let you know what the rest of the adults think. Until next time!_

_PearlieWolf_


	7. Cabin Confrontations

_Just a note, this is all pre-HBP. _

**The Silver Lining**

by Pearliewolf (my beta has abandoned me... sniff)

Chapter 7

Cabin Confrontations

Ginny and Hermione found themselves in front of a small cottage by the sea, surrounded by a few trees and a beach. This was Dumbledore's idea of safe? They heard talking, and ran inside the front door. Two muggle girls were walking along the beach, talking about school. One of them glanced at the cottage, and made a comment about that "run-down little shanty, ought to be torn down, but someone still owns it."

Inside the house, the two girls let out a sigh of relief. This place was enchanted, so that to everyone else, it looked like a little house that started falling apart twenty years ago. But inside, it was huge! A spiral staircase led up to the second floor; from the outside, it looked like a single-story house.

Hermione found a door in the wall, which would have led outside, but when she opened it, revealed a massive library, even bigger than the one at Hogwarts. It had to be at least two stories tall (imagine the one in Beauty and the Beast). Her jaw dropped at the sheer number of books. Ginny saw her standing in a doorway and went to see what it was.

"Whoa," she said, amazed.

"Yeah... let's check it out," said Hermione. Ginny grabbed her arm to keep her from walking into the library.

"Hermione, how about we get a nice little tour of the house in before you get lost in the library?"

Hermione agreed, reluctantly, and the two set off exploring the first floor. The kitchen was small, but it would do for two girls. There was an empty room with two desks, probably for studying and practicing magic. Next to that was a closet full of potions ingredients, random objects for transfiguration, and textbooks. The girls realized that they would probably be here for at least part of the school year.

"I'm gonna miss everyone," sighed Ginny. Hermione patted her on the back.

"Hey, at least this way, we'll actually miss them and not get sick of them."

"And... there's less a chance of us getting killed by You-Know-Who..."

"Ginny," Hermione said, putting her hands on Ginny's shoulders, "it's'Voldemort,'" - Ginny flinched - "so call him by his name, and quit being so scared. Otherwise you'll just have some unreasonable fear of the guy. Tell me, if he's so strong, why does he send his followers to do all the work? If he's so brave, why is he always in hiding? He's a weak little coward. His only skills are in manipulating the gullible, elitist idiots that call themselves his Death Eaters."

Ginny nodded, shocked, but strangely more confident that before.

"Besides," Hermione mused, "how stupid is the name'Death Eater?'" At this, Ginny couldn't help but laugh. It was a childish name. In fact, it didn't even make sense! How could someone eat death?

Well, at least she felt better now.

The girls resumed their exploration of the house. After deciding that the first floor was totally awesome, they set out to find their bedrooms upstairs.

Remus Lupin awaited them at the top of the staircase. Ginny smiled, but Hermione nearly shreiked in surprise and happiness. She smiled even brighter than Ginny and ran up the stairs to greet her friend. Ginny, always observant, noticed a little more-than-friendly attraction between the two. It wasn't out of character for Hermione to go for the older, more mature men anyways. But as close a friendship as she and Remus had, it would never be more than that. She didn't share the same emotional connection with him as she did with Sirius or Snape. Ginny couldn't tell which one she liked. Maybe both?

They both certainly liked her; it was only the most obvious thing in the world. Sirius spent as much time with her as he spent breathing. Snape actually smiled around her. Of course, with the drastic change in his facial structure, it could have made a smirk look like a smile. Ginny ran up the stairs, following Hermione's lead and greeting Remus.

"So what exactly are you here for?" she asked.

"Dumbledore filled me in on your decision to travel out here, and asked me to be your professor while we're here. But don't worry, you can call me Remus all the same."

"We're going to be here for the school year?" Ginny looked a little sad, and Hermione looked ecstatic.

"I'm not sure. But even if we're only here a few weeks, we owe it to ourselves to get comfy! The rooms are pretty nice here. I'll show you yours."

'Pretty nice' didn't even scratch the surface. The rooms were bloody amazing. Vaulted ceilings, canopy beds, velvet or silk or cashmere everything, and that was just half the bedroom. There were writing tables, day beds, sofas, an entire house fitted into a single room, but a massive room at that.

Ginny squealed when she saw the owls.

Two beautiful owls sat in elaborate iron cages. One of them was similar in shape to a snowy owl, but was a soft brown color with a white throat and black and white wings. The other, an eagle owl, stood nearly twice as tall as the first, but was the same soft brown. According to the name plates, the smaller one was named Peach and the larger one was named Cocoa.

"They're yours," Remus said, smiling. Hermione's jaw dropped, and Ginny squealed some more.

"You can't be serious!" Hermione exclaimed. Ginny ran over to the cages and opened them, affectionately stroking the birds

"Oh, but I can. I bought them for you, and I personally think they're wonderfully suited to your personalities. Peach for you, Ginny, and Cocoa for Hermione."

Remus soon found himself getting hugged to death between two ecstatic girls. All he cared about, though, was their happiness, and if their hugs were any indication, they were very happy right now. These girls were like adopted daughters to him. Ginny withdrew her hug first, being a slightly guarded person, and settled into her room. Hermione let go of Remus and looked up into his eyes as hers glinted with a hint of suspicion.

"Remus... why don't you trust Sirius?"

_Oh, I know I'm evil. And yes, my beta has refused to rate my chapter. So if any of you would like to be my new beta whenever I bother to write a new chapter, let me know. I'd love to have a beta who actually did something. Yeah, my beta is more wrapped up in college than I am... sigh ... Such is life._

_Anyways, that's the newest installment of my story. Woot for finishing this at 1am so I'll only get 5 hours of sleep! See? I do still love you, my lovely readers. And you review without my prompting! You rock. Give yourselves a pat on the back. You keep me writing!_

_PearlieWolf_


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